Are you ready for a new career?

Retrain Tulsa is ready to help you to launch a new career or improve your employment by providing free advanced training. Take a look at some of the recent trainings we have helped our customers enroll in. If you’re interested in any of the training listed below or you have something else in mind then register for a Retrain Tulsa account at the link below and schedule an appointment with a career coach!


Technical Training

• Cybersecurity

• Data Analytics

• Software Engineer

• A+ certification

• Network + certification

• Security + certification

Professional Services

• Project Management Professional (PMP)

• Certified Associate in Project Management

• SHRM Certified Professional

• aPHR Fundamentals

National and international headlines report that employers are not filling open positions following the COVID-19 pandemic. International employment agency, Randstad, conducts a semiannual survey to outline trends in job markets. Their most recent study, known as Workmonitor, [hyperlink: https://www.randstad.com/workforce-insights/global-hr-research/randstad-workmonitor/] which was released in November 2021, reported that more than half (59%) of North American workers are on a job hunt with 30% actively looking and 29% recently changing jobs. Randstad reported that 67% of respondents feel empowered by the pandemic to make changes to their work/life balance and nearly three-quarters (72%) have more clarity over professional goals since the pandemic.

Despite this “Great Enlightenment” among workers, employers are finding that applicants or existing employees do not have the skills to meet the demands of the current workplace. According to a recent article in the Harvard Business Review [hyperlink: https://hbr.org/sponsored/2021/12/4-strategies-for-upskilling-and-reskilling-your-workforce], 58% of the workforce needs new skill sets to do their jobs, 83% of industry association economists say employers are finding it more difficult now compared to five years ago to fill jobs in their respective sectors, while 55% of employees struggle to find and share organizational knowledge to advance their careers.

Tulsa has not escaped this reality.

“We are hearing from our Tulsa-area employer partners that they have higher-paying jobs and just cannot find the applicants with the skills to fill those jobs, or do not have the infrastructure internally to train their existing employees for a promotion,” said Madison Strategies (MSG) Group Executive Director Karen Pennington. “That’s why we created Retrain Tulsa in partnership with the City of Tulsa and Tulsa County.”

Madison Strategies Group [hyperlink: https://www.madisonstrategies.org], the organization behind Tulsa Community WorkAdvance [hyperlink: https://www.workadvance.org], recently launched Retrain Tulsa [hyperlink: https://www.retraintulsa.org] as a new initiative to support and empower Tulsans affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to access career services, training, and certifications for promotion or new jobs. The goal is to assist Tulsans find high-wage employment in some of the most affected sectors – healthcare, information technology, professional services, and advanced manufacturing.

“Retrain Tulsa is here to help Tulsa-area residents upskill and access a variety of career services and technical training to launch new careers,” said Retrain Tulsa Managing Director Steve Tumpkin. “Based on these employment trends, we know that our program will serve a diverse group of people who are different ages, have different amounts of experience, bring different levels of computer skills, and may be currently unemployed or underemployed. Our clients can work with us to seek the higher-paying job they need to find more financial security and work-life balance in a 21st century workplace.”

Retrain Tulsa, a program of Madison Strategies Group, closes the gap between job seekers and employers by offering free technical training, job placement and career assistance to Tulsa-area residents looking to expand their skills in pursuit of in-demand, higher-wage employment. Madison Strategies Group helps individuals reach their full-potential and achieve economic mobility by developing and delivering innovative employment, education, and financial empowerment strategies. Madison Strategies Group is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

#GreatResignation #GreatEnlightenment #retrain #workforce #upskill #Tulsa

Madison Strategies Group [hyperlink: https://www.madisonstrategies.org], the organization behind Tulsa Community WorkAdvance [hyperlink: https://www.workadvance.org], opened a dedicated space to launch Retrain Tulsa [hyperlink: https://www.retraintulsa.org, a new initiative to support and empower Tulsans affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to access career services, training, and certifications for promotion or new jobs. In response to national employment trends, Retrain Tulsa program designers envisioned the space to allow for maximum flexibility and comfort as Tulsans secure the skills they need to shift or advance their careers.       

“For all our programs, we have created a flexible, bright space filled with motivating energy and inspiration,” said Madison Strategies (MSG) Group Executive Director Karen Pennington. “People need a place to be. Whether clients are reworking a resume at one of our laptop stations or in the café, taking an interview via zoom, meeting with a small group of fellow participants, or taking a training in one of our large group training/meeting spaces, everyone is welcome.”

RetrainTulsa.org [hyperlink: https://www.retraintulsa.org] offers a program overview and initial inquiry form for those looking to sign-up online, while the Retrain Tulsa physical space is in Downtown Tulsa on the second floor of the Sun Building at the corner of South Detroit Avenue and East 9th Street [hyperlink: https://goo.gl/maps/N5mnPWGp2NHorLe5A] designed by D5 Concepts Interior Design [https://www.d5-concepts.com] and JBuck Designs [??] with XYZ handling the build-out. The re-envisioned space features brightly colored walls with murals of Tulsa-area landmarks and inspirational messaging from fellow job seekers. In both environments, virtual and physical, prospective program participants will complete a simple application to begin their new career journey.

“The Retrain Tulsa experience can begin for job seekers and partner employers either online or in-person,” explained Retrain Tulsa Managing Director Steve Tumpkin. “Based on national and local employment trends following the pandemic, we know that our program will serve a diverse group of people who are different ages, have different amounts of experience, bring different levels of computer skills, and may be currently unemployed or underemployed, so we want to meet people where they are to begin the process toward their next career.”

“We have intentionally created a seamless space between MSG programs in the Sun Building,” said Pennington. “This way we can quickly refer applicants to the right training or service for them, while our program participants benefit from a diverse network of program administrators, educational and employer-partners, and fellow job seekers in their quest for career advancement.”

Retrain Tulsa, a program of Madison Strategies Group, closes the gap between job seekers and employers by offering free technical training, job placement and career assistance to Tulsa-area residents looking to expand their skills in pursuit of in-demand, higher-wage employment. Madison Strategies Group helps individuals reach their full-potential and achieve economic mobility by developing and delivering innovative employment, education, and financial empowerment strategies. Madison Strategies Group is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

#GreatResignation #GreatEnlightenment #retrain #workforce #upskill #Tulsa

In March 2021 the City of Tulsa announced a $3.1 million investment in Madison Strategies Group [hyperlink: https://www.madisonstrategies.org], the organization behind Tulsa Community WorkAdvance [hyperlink: https://www.workadvance.org], to launch Retrain Tulsa [hyperlink: https://www.retraintulsa.org, a new initiative to support and empower Tulsans affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to access career services, training, and certifications for promotion or new jobs. The goal is to assist Tulsans find high-wage employment in some of the most affected sectors – healthcare, information technology, professional services, and advanced manufacturing.

“Retrain Tulsa is here to help Tulsa residents upskill and access a variety of career services and technical training to launch new careers,” said Madison Strategies (MSG) Group Executive Director Karen Pennington. “Through our partnerships with Tulsa-area employers and educational partners, we see immediate openings for higher-paying jobs in areas that require specific training or certifications, but employers don’t have the infrastructure to provide these services in-house and job-seekers may not have the knowledge or resources to efficiently move into those positions. That’s where we come in.”

Akin to other programs in the MSG training arsenal, Retrain Tulsa services are free to both prospective employees and Tulsa-area employers through a federal grant, the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA), implemented and overseen by the City of Tulsa. In this most recent COVID-19 relief package, the Tulsa City Council awarded Tulsa Community WorkAdvance, a program of the Madison Strategies Group, $3.1 million [hyperlink: https://www.cityoftulsa.org/press-room/council-approves-more-than-47-million-in-covid-19-relief-programming-to-aid-in-tulsa-s-economic-recovery-prevent-drug-addiction/] to expand their programming to reach those affected by the pandemic find higher-wage careers.

"For the past four years, we have focused on becoming a globally competitive, world-class city,” Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “In the face of the current public health and economic crisis, we are more committed than ever to investing in initiatives that will help Tulsa build a strong, resilient economy. These programs will help us grow Tulsa's economy by focusing on both sides of the jobs equation: ensuring we're creating more 21st century jobs, and training Tulsans to move into living wage careers.”

In addition to hiring Managing Director Steve Tumpkin to oversee Retrain Tulsa, Madison Strategies Group has expanded their Downtown Tulsa facility and online presence to provide equitable access to counseling, soft skills, and retraining for a new career in a comfortable, seamless environment, whether in-person or online.

“In my role as the Managing Director, I serve the program as the internal and external leader who plays a critical role in building, managing, and sustaining its operations,” said Tumpkin. “I foster partnerships with a diverse group of organizations, build infrastructure and lead a talented team of professionals dedicated to empowering others with knowledge.”

Retrain Tulsa, a program of Madison Strategies Group, closes the gap between job seekers and employers by offering free technical training, job placement and career assistance to Tulsa-area residents looking to expand their skills in pursuit of in-demand, higher-wage employment. Madison Strategies Group helps individuals reach their full-potential and achieve economic mobility by developing and delivering innovative employment, education, and financial empowerment strategies. Madison Strategies Group is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

#GreatResignation #GreatEnlightenment #retrain #workforce #upskill #Tulsa

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